


Infinity Love

by GayRainbowBridge



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Blood and Torture, Burning, Cutting, Death Threats, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Escape, Getting Together, Mind Manipulation, Multi, Mutilation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Suicidal Thoughts, Threats of Violence, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, Violence, Whipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:00:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29208519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayRainbowBridge/pseuds/GayRainbowBridge
Summary: Thanos tortures Loki beyond measure in order to break his mind and spirit as the god of Mischief refused to help Thanos retrieve the Tesseract from Earth but Loki won't submit.As it turns out, each infinity stone Loki comes into contact with happen to like Loki and all eventually seek to protect him and even help him to foil Thanos's plans to annihilate half the universes population.
Relationships: Loki/Infinity Stones
Comments: 38
Kudos: 86
Collections: Loki/Infinity Stones





	1. Say "Thank You"

**Author's Note:**

  * For [worstloki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/worstloki/gifts).



Loki had many enemies. Such as his fake Father, his oaf of a Brother (sometimes, depending on his mood), every person that's ever disliked him before that he ended up putting in their place.

But his number one enemy of all time?

Boredom.

Loki glared hateful at the wall of his cell. Stupid Thanos, thinking he's all so mighty and powerful. Loki would show him exactly what this Norse god of Chaos could do.

What exactly it was he _could_ do he was still currently working on.

Thanos (the wrinkled raisin he was) had locked him in here until he 'had use of him'. It was tedious and absolutely ridiculous that he had to sit here and wait for...something! Anything at all to happen. He felt like he'd been waiting here for years but nothing yet had happened. Of course, it had only been perhaps a few days to a week. It was hard to tell.

Loki had already looked around his cell for possible ways to escape. But the place was bare save the door he'd been shoved through and slammed shut behind him with the audible click of a lock. An enchantment was cast over the small cell, constricting Loki's seiðr inside of him making him unable to use his powers to escape.

Which was just terrific. Really. Stupid Odin for not telling him what he was. Stupid Thor for keeping it from him. Damn them both!

Loki huffed, drawing his legs up closer to his chest. Though he tired the look of indifference of the outside, he was a lot more afraid on the inside. Thanos was not an enemy to make. He was dangerous, even for Loki's standards. He was treading on thin ice.

The door opened and those ghastly beasts walked in, grabbing Loki arms and hauling him to his feet. He glared at one of them that forced his hands together, strapping a device to each to hold them together and he felt his magic curl further into himself. Seiðr restritors. Even better. Really.

Loki shivered in repulsion at the Chitauri's touch but didn't fight it as they marched him from the cell. His eyes flicked around curiously, trying to memorize the way of the corridors if he managed to find an opening to escape this realm but the halls all looked the same. They blended together in his mind making it a jumbled mess so after four halls he gave up.

Finally after what seemed like eternity, Loki found himself in what resembled a throne room. And in the thrones seat? The wrinkled raisin himself.

Loki wanted to stab the nearest Chitauri when he was forced down onto his knees. But alas, he had nothing to stab them with and even if he did, he doubted the rest of it's kind would appreciate the gesture. So he ignored the cold floor seeping through the fabric of his torn clothes, not that the cold bothered him.

_'Jotun, freak, monster—'_

Loki viciously shoved the unwanted thoughts away before they could overwhelm him, drowning him in further dark thoughts. He had more important matters at hand.

Loki forced himself to meet Thanos' eyes, portraying as much lack of fear as he could muster. No need to show the enemy just how afraid he was.

"Loki," Thanos rumbled, looking (the bastard) amused at the god kneeling before him. "It seemed we have found a use for you after all."

Loki swallowed, eyes flicking at the Chitauri around him. No possible escape routes. Just going to have to push through this for the now. "Is that so?"

"Indeed. And you understand what happens should you disagree," Thanos said almost nonchalantly despite the sinister look in his eyes.

"You'll put me in time out?" Loki inquired sarcastically.

Thanos was not amused. "We need you to go to a world. A human world. Midgard. There is something there that I need from it and you shall retrieve it for me."

Loki shifted uncomfortably, his knees starting to ache from kneeling on the ground. He was not used to this position. "And say I agree. What's in it for me?"

Thanos chuckled. "Only you would believe this is up for a debate. A bargain. But if you insist on such a thing, I can offer you freedom. Once I have what I need, I will require you no longer. You can go back to your self pitying life."

Loki would stab him for that.

"What is it that I'm meant to retrieve?" Loki asked curiously. "Why can you not retrieve it yourself? Or have one of these creatures," he tilted his head towards a Chitauri on his left, "to retrieve it for you?"

"The task requires brain and skill," Thanos stated, "and someone who can blend in. I'm sure you've gotten pretty good at that, Jotun."

Oh yes, Loki was most definitely going to stab him the first chance he got.

"You haven't yet told me what I am retrieving still," Loki said through gritted teeth. He ignored the whispers in his mind.

_'Unwanted, different, outcast—'_

Thanos smirked smugly, knowing he had gotten under Loki's skin. Quite literally. "It is called the Tesseract."

"An infinity stone," Loki sighed. Well, this suddenly made a lot more sense.

Thanos raised an eyebrow. "Yes, it is. I need all of them. Currently, I am in possession of one. The others are easy enough to acquire. But the Tesseract, the space stone, is much harder to get. The mortals are currently fiddling with it, trying to harness its energy. Fools. They will all burn."

Loki looked at the floor, connecting up all the dots. He knew Thanos was a lunatic but he must be especially mad if…

"You plan to kill half the universe," Loki managed to speak up.

Thanos smirked. "It's mercy."

"It's murder," Loki argued. "Because you wish to please Death. Don't you understand that she will never love you back?!"

Loki hated himself for flinching back when Thanos stood. The Titan matched over to the young god, reaching down and wrapping his large hand around Loki's throat.

Loki attempted to grip Thanos's wrist with his bound hands as he was lifted to Thanos's eye level, his feet barely scraping the floor.

"Do you have a wish to meet Lady Death?" Thanos whispered deadly quite.

Loki wanted to say something scathing back, to sink the metaphorical knife deeper but he was not so suicidal.

He would regret not being so later.

"I d-do not," Loki choked out.

Thanos's eyes were unyielding, grip tightening enough for black spots to appear in Loki's vision before he was dropped, collapsing in a heap as he hacked and gasped for breath.

"Do you take the deal, or do you need more...convincing?" Thanos asked, tone full of danger and promise to harm should he disagree.

But there was a much greater risk at work. Was half the population of all the world's in Yggdrasil really worth his own freedom?

"...no," Loki whispered. He looked up, glaring hatefully. "I won't do it."

Thanos looked shocked for a moment which Loki took a moment to revel in before Thanos scowled. "So be it."

The Titan turned away and for a moment, Loki thought it was over. Perhaps Thanos would kill him? It was no less than he deserved. It was better than being locked back up to lose his mind to that mind numbing boredom.

But apparently that was not the case as a Chitauri walked to the Mad Titan with something long held in its hands, passing it to Thanos with a bow before it retreated.

Thanos turned back to Loki with a sick, twisted smile. Loki took a good look at the thing held in Thanos's hands.

A scepter.

Loki stared at it, a sense of foreboding coming over him. What exactly did Thanos plan to do? Stab him with it?

Loki was pulled to his feet, hands held down. He tried stepping on the Chitauri's feet but no luck. He doubted the creature's could even feel pain in general.

"This is a Chitauri made device to harness the energy of this infinity stone," Thanos explained, turning the scepter to the side to show a pulsing golden yellow gem that shone a peculiar blue light within the scepters center. "It can control the minds of another and force them to do what the holder commands."

Loki swallowed hard. This wasn't good.

"Now, I will give you a chance to reconsider," Thanos said as though this was an actual choice he was giving Loki. "You are much more valuable to me willingly as your power is greater, but if I must, I will force you to bring me the space stone."

Loki licked his dry lips. Well, this was a no brainer. "Fuck you."

Wrong answer.

Thanos scowled deeply. "Don't say you weren't given the choice."

Loki pushed back on his heels, digging them into the ground as he tried to move away but the Chitauri had a firm grip. He wasn't going anywhere.

Loki squeezed his eyes shut tight, feeling the point press against his chest. A burning pain rose up inside of him where the scepter connected with his body and felt as the burning sensation raced up his chest, up his neck, slithering across his face to his mind.

Loki gritted his teeth. No. This was _his_ mind. He was controlled by nothing and no one but himself!

He pushed back against the thing trying to push its way into his mind and invade his thoughts. He wouldn't yield.

But it wasn't really...trying all that hard. Pushing sure, but not as much as Loki expected. It was more like a shove. It didn't seem to be exerting itself.

He shivered as another tendril slithered inside him, snaking its way to his core where his—

Loki gasped aloud. It was now circling his _seiðr_!

He froze up, going completely still. Not that it would help. If the infinity stone decided to attack his seiðr there would be absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. He was powerless against it.

Loki suppressed a fearful gasp as the greater power inside him curled around his seiðr that had already been pressed tight inside of him by the magic restrictions.

He waited with bated breath for the mind stone to destroy his core and with it, his own self but it did nothing. Just stayed wrapped around his seiðr, not harming him, just...there.

It confused him beyond what was mentally comprehensible.

Speaking of, the mind stone was still jabbing at his mind (which was slowly giving him a headache) but it wasn't aggressive. It wasn't hurting Loki whatsoever (besides the headache) which Loki now decided not to question too much. He should be _grateful_ that the mind stone wasn't...he supposed _eager_ was the word, to take over his mind.

He should thank it.

 _'Thank you,'_ Loki thought, mostly because, well, the infinity stone was technically conscious in its own way. It was a powerful force of creation. It could have bent his mind to Thanos's whims but it had denied the Titan what it wanted. Loki should be thankful.

And, okay, maybe he had done it just for shits and giggles so Loki was rather shocked when he heard the almost inaudible reply.

 _'No problem,'_ a voice mumbled. It was so quiet that Loki couldn't make out if it was a boy or girl saying it. Perhaps neither? Gender would not matter to the stone. Even then, the voice was more like a hum at the back of Loki's skull. Not exactly a voice per se. But Loki understood it either way. It took Loki's thanks happily which the god was glad for.

Loki almost mourned the loss of the comforting curl of power the mind had wrapped around his seiðr when it unfurled, retreating back into the scepter leaving him cold inside.

Loki opened his eyes.

Thanos stood looking confused at the scepter before looking up at Loki with suspicious eyes. "How is it you managed to defy the stone's power?"

Loki wanted to know the answer himself but he only smirked bravely. "You underestimated me, Thanos. I'm not as weak willed as you might think."

Thanos paused to consider this. "I see...then I suppose there's only one thing to do."

 _'Let me go?'_ Loki thought hopefully though he knew it would never happen. Because he wasn't such a fool to believe Thanos would let him free so easily.

"Take him back to the cell," Thanos stated firmly to the Chitauri who instantly gripped Loki's arms tighter, dragging him back. "If we cannot have your mind as it is," Thanos smiled that sick smile of his, 'then we shall _break it_."

Loki's green eyes flew wide and struggled against the hold, but he knew it was no use. His seiðr was trapped inside of him and his strength was of no use against these creatures. They easily overpowered him, pulling him away, through the winding halls and back to the cell, shoving him inside.

Loki sat in the dark, fingers scratching at the ground as if it could help him get a hold on this situation but he continued to feel as though he was falling just like he had in the void.

There was only one thing he could do now.

Endure.


	2. That's Hot. Wait, no...TOO HOT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⚠️Warning: mentions of whipping, strong language, torture, violence⚠️

Loki had lost count of how long he had been here for. The days to weeks to months had all blended together. He could not make head nor tail of it. Even if he could, he doubted it would matter. There was no escape.  
  
His tormentors came whenever they pleaded, always with something new on the table. Metaphorically speaking as he had no table, no furniture, nothing in this small cell he was kept. The only thing he had in the room was the manacles hanging high up on the wall and Loki detested them, which was in his opinion, reasonable.  
  
He sat dejected in the corner of his cell now, making sure not to lean his back against the wall so as to not irritate the whip marks. He picked at the dried blood on his hands, peeling it off. He hated having it on him. Made his skin itchy.  
  
_'Reminded him of the lives he took, the blood on his hands, the more lives he would surely have to take once his mind finally brok—'_  
  
Loki flinched back before hissing when his achingly sore back scraped the wall, adding to the sting it already held but it was a distraction he took gratefully to veer his mind away from its dark thoughts. He would not let them consume him. He would not let Thanos win. He had to stay strong.  
  
He thought a lot about one thing in particular though.  
  
The mind stone.  
  
It's power was much greater than Loki's. It was a wonder why it didn't manage to force its will on him. Or more actually, why it didn't seem to _want_ to force its will on him. It could have easily overpowered his mind, forced its way in but it didn't.  
  
In fact, the more he thought about it the more curious he got. The stone's power hadn't felt threatening, hadn't harmed Loki beyond a minor headache. He had almost felt...safe. He knew the stone wouldn't hurt him. Perhaps not at first, but after a few moments he realized it would not help him, nor would it help Thanos.  
  
It...intrigued Loki.  
  
He looked up at the sound of the lock turning, the door swinging open. Two Chitauri walked in making Loki involuntary shrink back but it was no use.  
  
The creatures grabbed him, pulling him onto his knees. One held him, pinning his arms behind him back while the other creature grabbed a fistful of his tangled hair and bent his head back, lifting something filled with a bubbling orange, red to his tightly closed lips.  
  
Liquid fire.  
  
They were mad if they thought he'd willingly drink it. It wouldn't kill him if he did. Not yet. Not with his seiðr still trapped at his core, healing inside of him and any damage that was caused by these beasts. Already the whipping wounds were being slowly healed by it so his back would be healed for the next session of breaking him bit by bit.  
  
But it was still agony.  
  
His mouth was forced open, the liquid sliding passed his lips, over his tongue, down his throat.  
  
For a moment, it felt like nothing, tasted of nothing. But that only meant it was because it was so hot that his brain was taking a while to process the pain.  
  
The beasts let him go, leaving the cell, the lock falling back into place.  
  
The heat rose up in Loki slowly making him shudder before it came all in a rush, flooding his senses into overdrive, his mouth, tongue and throat _burning_.  
  
He barely lasted a minute before he let out an agonizing scream.

* * *

Loki didn't even wait for them to shove him down onto his knees, instead dropping down, head bowed. He knew how it looked. He knew it showed his weakness to the enemy.  
  
But he didn't care.  
  
The gesture meant nothing to him. It was only his way of avoiding more pain though it did nothing for his pride. But that wasn't what was important anymore.  
  
"Have you reconsidered, Jotun?" Thanos inquired pleasantly as if he was asking how Loki liked his tea set. The god rolled his eyes internally at the thought.  
  
Loki didn't react to the name Thanos called him by. Not anymore. He just needed to answer the question, get through the ordeal and go back to his cell to think of new ways to escape, even if he knew it was wishful thinking that he could escape at this point.  
  
"Take a guess," Loki hissed, glaring up at Thanos. "You know of what my answer is. It isn't ever going to change."  
  
At least, that's what he hoped.  
  
Thanos shook his head as if disappointed. "A shame. Let's see how much you've broken then."  
  
Loki lowered his eyes again as Thanos approached. No need for the Mad Titan to see his fear.  
  
Thanos lifted Loki's head which the point of the scepter under his chin till Loki met his eyes. "All this for half the universe. Is it really worth all your suffering? They'll never even know you saved their pathetic lives. You'll be forgotten as you always have been, seen as only a villain in the eyes of others. Your Father. Your Brother. Everyone. Why not just give in? Isn't that simpler?"  
  
Loki kept his face clear of all the emotions he felt rising inside him. Fear, hate, betrayal, grief, sadness. They would do no good for him if Thanos saw it. It would only make his suffering worse.  
  
"Just get on with it," Loki whispered, the energy he had saved up for this already slowly fading, letting his heavy eyelids fall shut.  
  
"As you wish," Thanos said, although he looked displeased, letting Loki's head fall as he moved the scepter down to the god's chest.  
  
Loki braced himself for the assault. Or, the sort of assault. He'd learned that the mind stone wasn't particularly aggressive in any sense. At least, not towards him.  
  
It was almost welcomed, the warmth as the curl of power seeped in. Like always, a trail raced burning up his body to his mind, poking around at his slightly cracked mind. The other went as it always did, to his core, swirling around his seiðr before settling. It was almost like a comfort. Something that told him 'you're not alone'.  
  
But he was alone, wasn't he?  
  
This time however, he had to keep out the power from his mind, keep it away from the fractures in his mental walls. If it got in, Thanos wins.  
  
He pushed it back.  
  
_'Please, if you're trying to help me, don't make me strain. I can't—'_ Loki thought broke off, unable to finish. He felt like breaking down and sobbing at the unfairness of his situation. But he couldn't. He had to keep going if he wanted to keep the world safe from Thanos's clutches.  
  
Why did he bother though? What had the world ever done for him? What was the point? Loki guessed it was more spite than anything.  
  
Loki whimpered as the power around his slowly fading seiðr wrapped closer still almost like...a hug?  
  
The thought that it truly cared had Loki close to crying. Damn this thing confusing his feelings and thoughts. He was imagining things that weren't there. Like the voice he heard? It was likely all in his head.  
  
It was in his head.  
  
Loki grimaced at a particularly powerful push that almost made it through the barrier around his mind. But Loki wouldn't have it, using more of his limited seiðr to shove back, harder. But it made him feel even weaker, his own power running out. It wouldn't be long before his seiðr completely ran out with the torture he'd been forced to endure and the small amount food he was given. That's _if_ he was given any.  
  
Loki suddenly gasped aloud as the mind stone's tendril of power swirled impossibly tighter to his core magic and seeped _into_ it.  
  
_'Shit',_ Loki mentally swore, fear gripping him. What could it possibly be doing? Had it decided to finally end Loki's miserable suffering? That would be mercy to Loki. He almost pleaded with it to do so until he felt a spark.  
  
Another gasp broke free as energy traveled from the mind stone's into Loki's own seiðr. It was...it was feeding him power.  
  
What _—_?  
  
No. He wouldn't question it. No doubt the thing could hear his thoughts. See his thoughts. However it managed to communicate with Loki the mind stone would know and he wouldn't think of anything that might insult it.  
  
_'I thank you again,'_ Loki thought slowly, considering his words carefully. _'You are most kind.'_  
  
The tendril of energy moved back, stopped feeding Loki its power and rested back around Loki's now burning brightly seiðr once more. Loki hoped it would last him. He promised not to be careless with it.  
  
_'Try not to use it all at once, yeah?'_  
  
Loki swallowed at the sound of that voice again. It sounded more distinguishable now, almost enough to make it out but not quite. Loki hoped that it was real. He needed someone in this place that was on his side.  
  
He almost wanted to pout at the tone though, as if he were a child. Then again, the stone was a gazillion years older than he was. But he didn't mind it. He was just glad he wasn't completely alone.  
  
_'Of course,'_ Loki thought, almost smiling but remembered that Thanos was standing right in front of him.  
  
_'That's a good boy,'_ the voice murmured. Loki still couldn't decide if it sounded male or female but he dismissed it. That was currently unimportant. He could ask at a later date when they had the leisure of time.  
  
Loki breathed out a slow breath. How long until Thanos grew impatient? _'Why are you helping me?'_  
  
There was a slight pause and Loki felt a bolt of panic, thinking they had left. _'Because you're not the only one trapped to be used.'_  
  
Loki thought for a moment, wondering what that meant when he recalled Thanos' words.  
  
_'This is a Chitauri made device to harness the energy of this infinity stone.'_  
  
Loki wasn't the only one being kept prisoner here. The mind stone was just as much a prisoner as Loki was. They didn't want to do this anymore then he did.  
  
That made Loki hate Thanos even more. It was one thing to force him to submit and break him apart. It was quite another to do it to a great ancient power with a subconsciousness.  
  
Loki really wished he had his daggers. He had a few choice places on Thanos that he wished to put them.  
  
_'I'll find a way to get you out of this. I will not allow you to suffer as I do,'_ Loki promised before he could even figure out how he would do that. But he would find a way. He had to.  
  
It was silent in his head.  
  
Loki wondered why that was, and was about to ask when the scepter was pulled from his chest, the power vanishing from inside him once again besides his suppressed seiðr that now sparked with energy. Not enough to break free from the seiðr suppressants but enough to survive a while longer.  
  
Loki opened his eyes with an effort to look up at Thanos's annoyed expression.  
  
"Not broken yet. But soon enough you'll be bowing at my feet with forced willingness, your mind no longer your own. Very very soon, little god," Thanos said, letting a smirk cross his lips.  
  
Loki kept his eyes away from the Titans, instead looking at the scepter in Thanos's hands. The mind stone's own prison cell. Loki saw how the stone seemed to glow a bit brighter with Loki's eyes on it.  
  
It made Loki feel almost warm inside his freezing heart.  
  
"Take him back to the cells. Pull out all the stops. Do not kill him but do not be afraid to do some permanent damage," Thanos smiled cruelly as Loki was pulled to his feet by the Chitauri once again as he always was every time afterwards, no longer having the strength to stand on his own. "Let's see what it will take to have him sobbing for mercy."  
  
Loki ignored Thanos's cold words as he cast the scepter one last look before he was pulled from the throne room.


	3. Beware Of Sharp Objects

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⚠️Warning: cutting torture, self harm, strong violence, suicidal thoughts⚠️

Loki shivered in the corner of his cell once more. He wasn't cold. Not exactly. His...heritage made it hard for him to get cold. But he felt it. Inside he felt it. Freezing his lungs, his mind, his heart, his entire body.

He knew that it was really just fear. Fear of when next those beasts would come to break him that bit more. Fear of what would happen when they did. Fear of hurting innocent people because he wasn't strong enough.

But not in that way.

Loki gripped the jagged rock he'd found in a tight fist, the edges cutting into his palm, making him bleed. Reminding him he still could, that he wasn't quite dead just yet. Not dead like the way he felt inside.

The pain the rock caused him helped. It grounded him. Kept him steady, his mind clear.

To him, the jagged stone was both a weapon and an escape. A weapon against the Chitauri, should they come for him and an escape...an escape if he wasn't strong enough to stand it anymore.

Whether he was or not remained to be seen.

Loki drew his legs up tighter to his bare chest (his shirt had been torn to bits during a beating), ignoring the growling noises his stomach was making. He tried to remember the last time those beasts had fed him but stopped quickly. Remembering how long ago it had been would only bring more despair. The meals delivered were inconsistent at best and usually were just scrapes of whatever they had come from.

The last meal had been quite a lot compared to the usual. Some meat of a sort. Loki hadn't cared. He was starved and would eat just about anything at that point.

That was apparently what they'd been counting on. The meat in question had been poisoned. Not a poison strong enough to kill him but enough to have him throwing up for days. If a mortal had consumed it however, they wouldn't have survived it. The Chitauri were getting bolder in their torture methods and it worried Loki. He wondered if they were smart enough to know when enough was enough to not kill.

He doubted it.

After the whole poison fiasco, Loki had been wary of any food given to him, no matter how small. He would nibble the side, wait a few minutes to see if anything happens before carefully devouring the rest. It was always a risk but Loki was often starved enough to not care.

Unfortunately, the poison had taken up much of the energy the mind stone had given him in order to stay healthy. It was well near diminished now which meant any additional torture he sustained was harder to heal. He was always on edge of whatever torture the Chitauri brought to the table. He hadn't forgotten Thanos' words.

_'Do not kill him but do not be afraid to do some permanent damage.'_

Permanent damage.

Loki shuddered at the two words repeating themselves over and over in his mind. He was afraid to find out what those words meant. What was bad enough to main a god? But then, with his seiðr so diminished as it was, he wouldn't be able to heal whatever they did to him. The longer it takes to heal it, the more likely the damage will still bleed through no matter what his magic is able to heal once he has the energy.

He had never been more worried about his own self so much before. But this was definitely worth worrying about.

Loki almost didn't catch the click of the lock before the doors opened. He did however, curl more into himself, losing his eyes to the floor so he wouldn't have to look at the beasts. But it didn't make them any less real.

He didn't have the strength to resist as he was pulled up onto his wobbly legs. They wouldn't support him but they didn't need to, the Chitauri doing that for him as they dragged him over to the wall, slamming him against it, knocking the wind from his lungs so he was gasping for breath. His back screamed in protest from where it had hit the wall, sending his whip marks on fire. It took all his effort to yell out in pain.

Everything hurt.

His arms were yanked above his head, metal cuffs closing around his wrists tightly. The claws digging into his sides to hold him up finally released him and he hung limply from the shackles. They pulled at the thin skin of his wrist, likely going to leave bruises but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The Chitauri were chattering around him, their language unknown to Loki. It was something he had been forced to get used to, not knowing what they were saying to one another, not knowing what they were planning. If he did, he could mentally prepare for it, but he was left in the dark, wandering blindly waiting for the pain to start.

It surprised him though, to realize he didn't know their language. He knew nearly every language possible to know. He should be able to understand what was being said, but he did not. He hated that he didn't know.

He valued knowledge. The Chitauri knew this. Not knowing what was going to happen to him made it all the more worse until it began. They would leave him as they talked among themselves for a bit, let Loki's worst fears of torture invade his thoughts to break down his defenses. Once they were sure he was at the point of cracking, that's when it would start. The pain, the fear, the torment.

Loki squeezed his eyes shut. He had to keep being strong. He had to. Just one more torture, that's all. If he got through this, everything would go to plan. He just needed to survive this.

He held the jagged rock tighter in the hand above him impossibly tighter, the sharp edges slicing through his hand, blood spilling from the cut, bleeding through his fingers, slipping down his wrist.

Loki took a shuddering breath and opened his eyes. His vision swam in and out of view. His face felt wet. He was crying. Why was he crying?

The chattering around him grew louder and he found a Chitauri right in front of his face. He attempted to lurch back but he only succeeded in scraping his bare back painfully against the wall. He hissed out a breath, looking up to meet those sickly yellow eyes before looking down once more.

The flash of a blade caught his eye and his breath hitched in his throat.

The Chitauri held the weapon in its clawed hand, the blade reflecting the dim light of the room. It's sinister edge was raised up until the point rested on Loki's rapidly rising and falling chest because of his harsh breathing. Fear was gripping him, making it a struggle to keep calm, to think rationally. His thoughts were clouding over making it difficult to think, to remember why he was doing this. Why he kept enduring this torture.

There was a reason. What was the reason?!

The blade sliced down his chest, slicing the skin, making him bleed red. Hot fire raced over the fresh wound but he bit his lip, telling himself he wouldn't cry out, wouldn't give into the temptation to, wouldn't give these beasts the satisfaction to see him sob for mercy.

The next cut was deeper, more painful but Loki managed to hold back his shout, sinking his teeth in more to his abused lip until he tasted copper. Blood. He'd bitten his lip so hard that he'd bit through it.

Another movement of the pain cutting diagonally across his waist had him whimpering, a new wave of tears falling down his dirty cheeks. It hurt. It all hurt. Why wouldn't the pain stop? Why wouldn't it end? Why wouldn't he end?

Remember what this is for.

It wasn't for him. If it was, he would have deemed the pain too much. He would have been gone long ago. But this wasn't for him. It was for all the innocent lives that deserved said lives more than Loki himself did. It was for his oaf of a Brother, no matter how much he annoyed Loki, he would rather die himself than see Thor dead.

It was for the mind stone, trapped in their own prison, used like Thanos was trying to use Loki. He couldn't let them suffer just because he couldn't handle a little pain. Besides, they had their plan. Loki just had to uphold his end of the deal. Make it through another torture. That's all he had to do. If he failed then the mind stone would be trapped forever, Thanos would find another way to gather all the infinity stones and half the world would be killed.

No, he wouldn't let that happen. He would endure. He was stronger than what these Chitauri thought he was. He was stronger than Thanos could ever manage to comprehend.

But that didn't stop the scream that tore from his lips as the blade ripped his skin to ribbons, blood glistening on its sharp edge. His eyes rolled back into his head as the pain became too much, like fire in his veins as he went slack in his restraints.

The rock fell from Loki's limp hand, hitting the cell floor with a dull thud, covered in blood.

* * *

Loki was surprised he could even make it to the throne room, support or no support. Soon enough he would have to be carried here if they continued their relentless torment on him.

Thanos looked very pleased at the sight of Loki half naked, covered in his own blood as he was thrown down onto his knees. Loki managed to hold himself up with shaky arms, eyes trained on the floor in front of him as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Here we are once again, little god," Thanos said, a taunting smirk lighting his cruel face. "Tell me, have the Chitauri treated you well?"

Loki couldn't bring himself to form a single word. He couldn't even shake his head. It would have been far too much effort for him to manage. So he remained silent. Because sometimes silence spoke more than words, didn't it?

"Nothing to say?" Thanos asked, tone mocking. Loki didn't rise to the bait. He didn't have the strength to and even then, he wouldn't have. It wasn't worth it.

Not anymore.

"I suppose you're not here to talk, are you? Perhaps you just wish to answer the question you're here for then," Thanos decided, seeming to realize Loki didn't want to, or wasn't capable of answering too many questions.

Loki forced himself not to scramble away in the sudden spiking fear when Thanos approached. A large hand held his chin, tilting his head back, forcing him to meet those merciless eyes boring into his own green ones.

The young god made himself meet Thanos' gaze instead of flinching away from the Titans repulsive touch. Just a little longer…

"Have you reconsidered? Have you finally decided to comply with my demands to fetch me the Tesseract?" Thanos inquired, his voice soft but dangerous, daring Loki to say no. Loki understood why. If Thanos used the scepter on him now, he wasn't sure he'd be able to resist its power no matter how much the mind stone didn't want to control him.

Loki looked at Thanos's dark eyes a moment longer before slowly lowering his own.

He spoke in a whisper. "Y-yes."

Thanos let him go, stepping back. The Titan had obviously not been expecting that answer. It almost made Loki want to laugh, but he hadn't the strength to do so and this was no laughing matter.

"Is this some trickery?" Thanos asked, his voice full of suspicion.

Loki took a shaky breath. "I cannot say n-no any longer. My mind is sh-shattered. To use that scepter on me now...I would not be able to r-resist its p-power. Surely you must realize why I a-agree to this."

There was a silence where Thanos considered Loki's genuinity. It was a tense moment, one Loki fretted over. If Thanos didn't believe him then it was over. The Titan would simply use the scepter on him to get what he wanted and Loki would be powerless against it. The mind stone would have no choice in the matter.

The silence seemed to stretch on and Loki had a thought of panic, wondering fearfully if Thanos had before seen the lies in his eyes. But—

"Take him to be treated. As soon as he is within moderate health he will be sent to Midgard," Thanos told the Chitauri. "And, Loki?"

Loki grimaced, hating how his name sounded on the Mad Titan's tongue as he looked up to meet that hard gaze.

"Do not disappoint me."

Loki shivered, his insides growing cold at the foreboding tone but forced a nod as the beasts brought him rather gently to his feet this time round and was just as equally gentle when they led him from the room.

All according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✒Am I a horrible person? Yes, yes I am. Will it only get worse from here? ...👀✒


	4. Permanent Damage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⚠️Warning: implied/referenced mutilation⚠️

The cuts didn't heal.

Loki hadn't expected them to. They were deep and had been left far too long to try and heal on their own. Not only that but the tip had not only been poisoned making it all the more harder to heal the wounds but each time after they had sliced into him, they had heated the knife. He hadn't noticed, already in so much pain that he'd barely noticed the pauses between when the beasts had heated the knife before continuing their slow torture.

But now only two words resonated through Loki's head, over and over, mocking him in their unrelenting presence.

_'Permanent damage, permanent damage, permanent damage—'_

Viciously, Loki shoved the thoughts away. He would not let it overwhelm him. He was stronger than that.

He had to be.

The Chitauri healed what they could, had Loki bathe and gave him fresh clothes. The restraints had come off but Loki's magic was far too weak to teleport away from this place. Even if he could, he wouldn't leave that mind stone behind, trapped in that scepter forevermore.

So he played along, letting the Chitauri do as they wished to prepare him for Midgard. Of course, he couldn't just have the mortals thinking it's the Tesseract he was after when he arrived. He needed a lie. A good one, believable so if things went astray, they wouldn't keep the Tesseract under lock and key, making it harder for Loki to get it.

The Tesseract was the key to getting it back to Thanos. Not that Loki was letting that happen. But the mortals wouldn't just let Loki get away with the Tesseract either. He needed a plan.

Currently, Loki was being led outside for the first time in what felt like years but was likely only months. The world was still a pitiful sight, half dead, barely livable place. Rocks for miles.

But he wasn't outside to enjoy the scenery. Not that there was much to enjoy. It looked downright depressing, much like his situation.

A single Chitauri led him along, gripping his arm but not enough to cause him any pain. Loki wanted to yank away from the beast's filthy touch but he forced himself not to. Just play along, be compliant and soon enough he could get the Hel out of here.

The Chitauri halted him, making a gesture that clearly stated him to wait here and Loki did so with much reluctance, watching as the beast walked back to where it had come.

Loki had half the mind to bolt, to run as far as he could away from this place, to hide until he had the required energy to teleport away somewhere safe but he knew it was no use. The Chitauri, Thanos, someone would catch up with him and drag him kicking and screaming back and all the torture he'd endured would be for nothing.

He had to stick to the plan.

The god shivered when he sensed its presence nearby. Thanos had spoken of it quite a bit when talking to Loki, trying to convince (threaten) him to retrieve the Tesseract.

Thanos had spoken of how it had killed, feasting on the flesh and blood of its victims. How it twisted people's thoughts, made them so unspeakable horrors until they were screaming for mercy, screaming for their own demise. And the thing had given them just that, ripping the flesh from the bones and watering the dry ground with fresh blood.

But thankfully, that is not what Loki was here for. 

Still, Loki wondered what he would have seen, what would have made him scream like Thanos had described had things gone badly, had Thanos lost his patience with Loki. The thought made the mischief god shudder.

There was a sound, like cloth slithering across a surface like a snake's skin. He bit his tongue, keeping his eyes down. He would not speak out of turn. Unlike Thanos who at least seemed to find Loki's wit amusing, this thing was not to be meddled with.

Despite his mind screaming in protest, Loki couldn't keep his eyes trained to the floor as he looked up at the thing he'd never admit aloud to having nightmares about.

The Other.

Loki forced himself still, to not recoil from the horrid figure standing feet from him. It wore a grey coloured cloak, the hood pulled up to obscure its face. Loki could see its mouth however, twisted up into a sneering smile, fangs a terrible shade of yellow. Did this guy even brush his teeth after a meal?

The Other's skin was grey and embedded with golden metal on its bare chest that peaked through the cloak and on its face, its cheeks, and neck. The skin around the metal was scarred with burns like it had been mutilated this way.

The Chitauri had something similar to their features. It had always been a thing that made Loki feel pity towards them though that had turned out to be a dangerous thing. He never made the mistake again.

"Loki of Asgard," the Other hissed out in a breathless sort of way, like it couldn't get enough air to its lungs, but Loki wasn't fooled. He wouldn't pity any creature on this realm any longer. All it had ever caught him was pain.

"Other," Loki greeted back with a slight incline of his head, keeping a respectful distance away from the thing. He didn't want to get any closer to it than he had to. He was very happy where he was, _away_ from the Other where it couldn't touch him or even reach out and touch him without having to move closer than it already was.

"It seems Thanos has decided you are worthy enough to retrieve the Tesseract," the Other said in its scratchy way of speaking. Like it was choking.

"He has," Loki murmured, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "He has entrusted me to go to Midgard for him and bring it back. While you," Loki eyes flicked up to look at the ghastly creature in front of him, "have been told to test my willingness to retrieve the item Thanos seeks. To not betray him if I do."

The Other growled low in its throat, like a warning, but Loki knew the Other was under Thanos's orders not to harm him. "You will learn not to speak out of turn, outcast."

Outcast. But then, they were all outcasts as much as he was. The words they called him didn't hurt him so much as they once did. But Loki knew not to push the Other too much as, orders or no, the Other could very well break Loki to pieces if it so chose to. It had the upper hand here, not Loki. If it deemed Loki's intentions suspicious then it would only take its say so to Thanos for the Mad Titan to use the scepter on him to ensure his full fidelity.

"My apologies," Loki said, bowing his head though inside he seethed. "I meant no disrespect."

"We shall see the truth in your words," the Other stated lowly. "But be warned. If you are deceiving us, if you have some other intention besides serving Thanos, you shall pay dearly. If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no _crevice_ where _he_ cannot find you. You think you know pain?"

Loki glanced up at the Other again, green eyes tracing over the metal melted into the creature's grey skin, face twisted and mutilated beyond recognition. Pain. His whole life had seemed like pain upon pain upon even more agonizing pain. But what was pain to the likes of someone like this.

Loki didn't know. And he was afraid he was about to find out.

The Other made a slow step forward which made Loki quickly step back but he had underestimated the Other speed as in a blink of an eye, the creature was standing inches from his, that scarred twisted face not far from his own, making his breath catch in his throat.

Loki stood frozen as the Other slowly reached up a hand. Said hand had six fingers, two of them thumbs ending in small pointed claws that could easily rip Loki's face to shreds which the Other how slowly reached for as it spoke. "He will make you long for something as sweet as pain."

The lightest of contact from the Other's fingers was all it took before Loki's mind exploded into agonizing chaos.

_'I will hunt the monsters down and slay them all!'_

_'Sometimes I may be envious. But never doubt that I love you.'_

_'Thor, it's madness!'_

_'Know your place, Brother.'_

_'We must go!'_

_'Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.'_

_'What am I?'_

_'You're my son.'_

_'What more then that?"_

_'So I-I-I'm the monster that parents tell their children about at night?!'_

_'Father is...dead.'_

_'This is goodbye, Brother.'_

_'I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal.'_

_'I will not fight you, Brother!'_

_'I'm not your Brother...I never was.'_

_'I could have done it! For you! For all of us.'_

_'...no, Loki.'_

Something wet was running down his face, dripping off his chin as he shivered uncontrollably. It took Loki a moment to realize he was on his knees, hands splayed out in front of him against the ground in front of him to keep him from falling flat on his face. His arms shook. His whole _body_ was shaking as tears rolled down his face and shuddered for breath.

His heart pounded, the blood rushing in his ears as he tried to steady his breathing, to get control once again.

The mind stone had assured him that they had reinforced Loki's mind against anyone finding out their conversations, the plans they had made together to escape. If anyone tried, all they would find would be the darkness behind Loki's eyelids as he closed his eyes every time the scepter had been used on him.

But Loki hadn't considered what the Other could find out about his past, how that could be used against him. Despite Loki's fights with Thor, he would never wish for the blond idiot to get involved in such matters as this. If Thanos decided to threaten Loki using Thor as the person he'd inflict pain to—

No. He couldn't think about that.

Loki took a deep breath of air before forcing his gaze up to the Other who regarded Loki carefully.

"I see no evidence of betrayal in your mind," the Other spoke after a few moments of silence where Loki had to wonder if they were having a staring contest (which he quickly discarded as he couldn't see the Other's eyes). "It seems you are genuine in your claim to help Thanos for your freedom."

"I-I have no wish to be imprisoned again," Loki managed, lungs still struggling for air. His mind felt like it was throbbing and guessed he had an oncoming headache. "I'd rather s-serve Thanos's wishes and l-leave with my freedom then be h-hunted like a dog."

"So it seems," the Other said in that scratchy voice. "I shall inform Thanos of this. For now, I will have the Chitauri watch over you and train you to be ready."

Loki shivered internally at the thought of what his 'training' would be but only nodded shortly. "Thank you."

Clawed hands suddenly grabbed him, pulling him to his feet and it took Loki a panicked moment to realize it was just a Chitauri which, really, did nothing to calm his racing heart. Loki watched the Other disappear from view, cloak vanishing behind a rocky fissure.

Then the Chitauri marched him back to where they had come, back to the cell he was kept as he was not yet trusted enough to be out of it. He hated whenever he was in there, his seiðr once again trapped inside of him but he didn't complain or resist as the alternative of what would happen to him if he did was not worth the struggle.

The words echoed in his head once more.

_'Permanant damage, permanent damage, permanent damage—'_

Loki went along willingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✒Alright, next chapter Loki will be heading off to Midgard! And you know what that means✒


	5. Poker Faces People!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ⚠️Warning: strong violence⚠️

Today was the day that Loki would depart for Midgard.

He was dressed in his old Asgardian attire that he'd been allowed to summon under close watch of the Other who seemed to be Loki's permanent creepy babysitter, always watching, observing.

He paced nervously, hands wringing as he waited for Thanos to show.

He was sure he had done everything correctly, that he had not stepped out of line, given no reason to be suspicious or portrayed any emotion of betrayal or disloyalty.

Loki had focused near to all his energy on training against the Chitauri. They were brutal, barely holding back but Loki was a fast learner, figuring out there fighting style within three lessons. The Other then had the fighting switch to Chitauri made devices that shot pure energy that Loki was forced to evade.

Every night he was rewarded with his hard work by some food and water and a full night's rest. It was the most he'd ever been given since arriving here and he took it all gratefully. He never complained, not once, even when he was dragged from bed early in the morning (though it was hard to tell as the burnt out sun cast little light over this planet) for more hard training, blag beaten in the process.

Loki kept having to remind himself that in the end, it would all be worth it. He just had to remain strong and keep going like nothing was wrong.

Piece of cake.

Thanos walked into the room now and Loki ceased pacing to face him, eyes lowered to the floor in a sign of submission. He could feel the Other's gaze on him from across the room but he didn't look. Only Thanos and his plan mattered at this moment.

"You are ready, I assume? The Other has informed me that your training has been exquisite and that you picked it up easily," Thanos said coolly.

Loki nodded stiffly. "Yes, my lord. I have done everything I've been asked of. I wish only to serve you."

"Liar," Thanos said and Loki froze, wondering exactly what the Titan meant. He mentally screamed at himself to keep his poker face. "You only wish to serve so you can have your freedom back after you've given me what I desire."

Loki forced himself to relax again. Thanos didn't know his plan. He was referring to their deal. The Tesseract for his freedom. "Yes, my lord. I do wish to be free. But once you have all the stones you require, you would make quite the powerful ally. Or if not that, I do not wish to be your enemy."

Thanos chuckled. "You're a smart one, I'll give you that. If you do a good job and deliver me the Tesseract quickly then perhaps I'll consider you as an ally."

Loki murmured quiet thanks, trying to convince Thanos that that was what he wished for. The more he asked for, the more Thanos would be distracted by what he truly wanted.

"The Tesseract has almost opened," Thanos said, glancing to where a darkness spread rapidly against the floor. Dark energy being harnessed by the Other who stood silently nearby. "But first."

Loki looked up and his breathing hitch, seeing the scepter, but quickly calmed it. He reminded himself that Thanos had promised him the scepter to aid him to get the Tesseract. Thanos wasn't about to use it against him. He had told Loki himself he was more useful with his free will.

The Chitauri handed it over with a bow, before it retreated. Thanos turned to Loki who was looking at the stone that shone a curious blue but in its depth he could see the yellow gem.

Manipulated into control, Loki reminded himself quickly. The blue light was a defense mechanism. The stone had told him so. He wasn't quite sure how it worked though so long as they were protected, Loki didn't care.

Thanos held out the scepter in one large hand and Loki only managed to grasp the handle of it before Thanos yanked the scepter, making Loki stumble forward until he was inches from Thanos who gave him a cold stare.

"Do not fail me," he whispered, so low only Loki would hear it.

 _'If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no_ crevice _where_ he _cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain.'_

The Other's words echoed in Loki's mind, making him shudder. He nodded once and Thanos relented his hold on the scepter, making Loki stumble back and attempt to regain his footing. He gripped the scepter tightly enough that he was afraid he'd snap it and told himself to calm. He had what he needed and now he was moments away from escaping this place.

An implosion sounded and the darkness on the floor turned inky black.

 _'Here we go,'_ Loki thought.

He stepped forward onto the section of darkened floor, ignoring how shaky his hand on the scepter was, resisting holding it close to him and attempting to rip the stone from the scepter's center. He wasn't sure if it would hurt the mind stone if he tried.

Then the darkness on the floor rose up and enveloped Loki whole.

* * *

Loki crouched where the vortex had dropped him off, standing slowly as he looked around cautiously.

There were guards, mortals, who had their weapons trained on him. Loki eyes landed on a sandy blonde haired man and an older man with an eyepatch reminding Loki of his adopted Father who were staring at him wide eyed, clearly shocked.

The man with the eyepatch was the first to speak.

"Sir, please put down the spear," he ordered and the sandy blonde haired man glanced at the other man and looked as if he was trying to restrain himself from rolling his eyes.

Loki frowned at him, looking down at the spear clutched in his left hand. The mind stone had been silent the entire time he'd been holding the scepter but he didn't let that faze him. They would have time to discuss their plan later once he got his hands on the Tesseract and somewhere safe.

Loki then looked back up at the other two. Well, he had to make this look convincing, didn't he?

He lifted the scepter aiming it at the eyepatch man letting himself think of him as Odin, the blue gem glowing brightly and the sandy blonde haired man's eyes widened, shoving Eyepatch aside just in time.

The blast from the scepter hit some machinery, destroying it. The guards opened fire, but Loki leaped forwards with impossible height before stabbing them through the chest with the scepter. He threw what seemed to be miniature daggers at two other guards, hitting them in the throat. He blasted the lady away from the control panel, before whipping around and smashing his scepter across another guards face making them fall to the floor with a shout.

The other men, including the sandy blonde, shot at Loki, the sandy blonde hitting him spare in the back, but it had no effect as Loki turned, anger in his features and blasted at them with the scepter. The sandy blonde rolled out of the way but the other men were hit and fell to the ground either unconscious or dead. Loki felt a stab of pity go through him, but pushed it aside.

Another guard tried to grab the scepter but Loki simply kicked him away with impossible strength. He was glad his strength was slowly coming back to him. The man flew across the room and slammed into the wall, sliding to the floor unconscious.

Loki stopped then, looking around, still tense waiting for another attack, but all of the guards were either unconscious or possibly dead. The only unharmed ones were a few Agents as he knew this was an organization and Eyepatch who was lying on the floor near the Tesseract which Loki stared at nonpulse. The blue cube was held in a man made device, pulsing with withheld energy.

The sandy blonde was struggling to stand, while reaching for his gun at his side which Loki noticed just in time.

Loki walked over to the sandy blonde who must have heard his footsteps as he whipped around, pulling his gun from it's holster and raised it up but Loki stopped him short, grabbing the arm that had the gun in its hand.

The sandy blonde grimaced in pain, looking up at Loki's poisonous green eyes that looked back at him calculatingly. The sandy blonde was breathing heavily, though Loki wasn't sure if it was from the fighting or from fear. Most likely both.

"You have heart," Loki murmured.

He held up his scepter and pressed the tip of it to the sandy blondes chest, the gem glowing a soft blue.

The sandy blonde winced. Loki watched as the man's eyes turned from their dark blue to a lighter shade, like clear ocean water, the same color as the light the mind stone shone and Loki slowly smiled in satisfaction, stepping back, taking the scepter away from his chest.

Now having access to the man's thoughts, he found his name. A Shield Agent named Clint Barton. He would most definitely be useful. Once Loki got what he needed, he would release the scepters claim on the mortal, but for now-

Barton slowly lowered his arm, his eyes going from the Loki's poisonous green ones to the gun as he placed it back into the holster.

Eyepatch, which Loki now knew was named Fury going off Barton's memories, stared wide eyed in shock at the interaction.

Loki smirked, switching the scepter from his left hand to right, walking over to the other Shield Agent, who was still slightly out of it from the blast of energy the Tesseract had let off, but still standing on their feet. Loki did the same thing to Clint, pressing the scepter to his chest and his eyes turning a light blue.

While Loki was distracted, Fury had reached up from his kneeling position on the floor and took the Tesseract from where it was held in the machine, grabbing the case nearby and gently placing it inside.

Fury let it go quickly, gritting his teeth and shaking his hand off as the Tesseract had started to burn through his gloves that he wore. He closed the case, not making a sound so he wouldn't alert Loki to his presence.

He stood, the case in hand and turned quickly to leave but was stopped by a calm yet firm voice.

"Please don't," Loki whispered as he turned to look at Fury. "I still need that."

Fury looked back over his shoulder at the raven haired man. Busted. "This doesn't have to get any messier."

"Of course it does. I've come too far for anything else," Loki spoke fiercely, but the lines felt far too rehearsed to his own ears. "I am Loki, of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious purpose!"

"Loki," a man he now knew was called Erik breathed, standing from where he had been checking on the unconscious lady on the floor. "Brother of Thor."

Loki looked over at Erik with the most utmost annoyed expression on his face. How dare this pathetic mortal mention his annoying Brother in his presence!

"We have no quarrel with your people," Fury stated, trying to ease the situation.

Loki looked at him. "And an ant has no quarrel with a boot," he countered with a slight shrug.

Fury's face hardened. "Are you planning to step on us?"

Loki smirked. "I come with glad tidings," he said walking slowly across the room, stopping just in front of Erik facing Fury, "of a world made free."

"Free from what?" The director asked.

"Freedom," Loki said simply. "Freedom is life's great lie! Once you accept that, in your heart," Loki turned in a sharp motion putting the scepter's tip to Erik's chest, watching the blue take over the man's eyes, "you will know peace."

"Yeah, you say 'peace'. I kind of think you mean the other thing," Fury said almost calmly but Loki could see the tension in the man's posture.

Clint suddenly walked forward as words fell from his mouth without his consent. Poor mortal. Loki almost felt pity for him. "Sir, Director Fury is stalling. This place is about to blow and drop a hundred feet of rock on us," Barton said, nodding towards the swirling blue light that was slowly creating large cracks in the ceiling. He then looked at Fury. "He means to bury us."

Fury tilted his head to the side. "Like the pharaohs of old."

"He's right," Erik said, who was looking at one of the undamaged monitors. "The portal is collapsing in on itself. We got maybe two minutes before this goes critical."

Loki frowned looking back at Clint. "Well then."

So fast that Barton wouldn't even be able comprehend what had happened, the archer pulled the gun from its holster, aimed it at Fury and squeezed the trigger.

BANG!

The bullet hit Fury square in the chest and made the man fall back onto the ground, dropping the case in the process.

Loki smirked as he walked forward, Barton right behind him. He could hear the thoughts Clint was thinking in his head, shocked at what he'd done but on the outside, the archer picked up the case as he walked by it and handed it to Erik to hold.

Erik had to hold it because Barton was the only who was armed with a weapon besides Loki that could fight if things went sideways. But Loki had the urge to grab the case himself, to keep it to himself in case these mortals managed to break from the mind stone's control.

 _'You doubt me? I'm offended,'_ the mind stone spoke in his mind and Loki could almost imagine a face pouting at him.

 _'My apologies. Of course not,'_ Loki thought as sincerely as he could manage. _'I always like to be prepared for anything is all. Old habits die hard.'_

The mind stone fell silent again as the group walked out to the underground park area, Clint ahead of the others.

Loki saw a woman who he now knew as Agent Hill walk over to them. Clint pointed at the cars left in the underground parking. "I need these vehicles."

Hill frowned, glancing at Erik who held the case containing the Tesseract and got in the passenger seat. Then her eyes fell on Loki who got in the back of the pickup truck, holding the scepter tightly.

"Who's that?" She asked.

Barton didn't turn to look at her as he opened the drivers door. "They didn't tell me."

Her eyebrows knitted together but didn't reply as she turned away from them to check on any stray Shield Agents.

"H-ill!"

Loki froze.

"Do yo-u co-py!"

Hill looked down at the walky talky she held in her left hand, Fury's strained voice coming through it in breaks.

"Bar-ton ha-s tur-ned."

Barton pulled his gun out turning and pointing it at Hill and opened fire, but she rolled out of the way, behind some beams. She pulled out her own gun hearing another shot be fired.

The archer quickly got in the driver seat, starting the car and drove off at full speed. Hill came out from behind the beams and aimed at Loki in the back of the car, trying to shoot him, but they were gone through the tunnel in three second flat, lost from view.

 _'Step one complete,'_ the mind stone spoke in Loki's mind.

Loki smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ✒I wonder what those two have planned?✒


End file.
